Taxi Driver Online

Taxi company express frustration at Stansted Airport's set-down fee hike

https://www.maldonandburnhamstandard.co ... -fee-hike/

TAXI bosses are furious after being forced to pass on an airport drop-off fee hike to their customers.

Chauffeur-Bus Wickford, based in Cold Norton, often ferries customers from Maldon, Chelmsford and beyond to nearby Stansted Airport.

Stansted is increasing its express set down fee from £4 to £5 from today.

The taxi company made an announcement on social media that customers would have to pay for the increase on top of their fare.

The company said the move was “unfortunate” but offered to drop passengers off at the mid-term car park so they can take the free shuttle bus for no extra charge.

A spokesman said: “We haven’t had anyone call up about it yet, but they will.

“It’s a major problem for us because we take our bookings a year in advance.

“It’s typical of Stansted to do this. We only found out about this through social media and other cabbies.

“We’re used to this kind of thing happening.

“We figure enough is enough and I can imagine things will be kicking off. It’ll probably be the black cab boys first.

“The ironic thing is Stansted claim it’s to reduce their carbon footprint but they’re burning thousands of gallons of jet fuel over our heads.”

Stansted confirmed the increase is part of a plan to reduce its carbon footprint.

Bosses are aiming to set up a high-speed charging station in Thremhall Avenue which will cater for up to 13 vehicles at any given time.

The charging points will be introduced later this year alongside two new ‘drive-thru’ restaurants coming to the area.

Plans are also in place to install electric charging areas at the meet and greet car park, as well as beginning to using electric coaches to operate between the airport and Stratford train station in London.

Landside operations director Anita Harrison said: “London Stansted has been setting the pace among UK airports for years when it comes to addressing our local environmental impacts and we are well within legal limits for air quality, but there will always be more both we and passengers can do.

“In particular, we need to build on our good track record of encouraging a reduction in emissions from road traffic. This is why we are continually taking steps to encourage more passengers to think about how they get to and from the airport.

“We know our passengers want choice, and our investment in our public transport network will make it even easier to leave the car at home, while also encouraging the take-up of electric vehicles.”

Stansted Airport bosses say they already offers a number of cost-reduction schemes aimed at encouraging passengers to use public transport or car share when travelling to and from the airport.

our Stansted work has dropped right off but I was expecting this and whats the betting Luton,Manchester and east midlands follow suit

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

What a load of old fanny.

You can drop off a customer about half a mile away for nothing, so how does that equate with the carbon footprint?

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IDFIMH

Indeed, and another firm making the point that using the shuttle is impractical anyway


Book and Go taxi firm hits out at 'ridiculous' price hike for Stansted Airport drop-off zone

https://www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co. ... -off-zone/

A TAXI firm has slammed airport bosses for increasing charges for dropping passengers off at Stansted.

The cost to take people to the express set-down zone outside the terminal has gone up 25 per cent from £4 to £5 for just 10 minutes.

Stansted bosses claim the move is to "reduce the airport's carbon footprint".

Passengers not wanting to pay the extra charge can get dropped off at one of the car parks and use the free shuttle bus service.

But Bob Smith, of Braintree private hire firm Book and Go, has accused the airport of ripping customers off.

"It's just a money-making scheme with a silly little excuse to put the price up," he said.

"No cabs are going to drop people at the shuttle. Everyone who pays a fare wants to go to the terminal.

"It seems totally nonsensical and ridiculous to do that.

"You can't ask people to do things like that when they have paid a fare to go to the airport

"If you have a six-seater with five people on board and a child and all their luggage they don't want to take all their gear and stand up on a packed bus when they are only two minutes from the airport.

"To me it's just another way of making money - that's all it is."

Mr Smith has been operating Book and Go for 32 years and does up to 80 drop-offs a year at Stansted.

He says the price hike will have to be passed on to his customers.

He added: "They could shut the whole forecourt down but you know that's not going to happen.

"People are going to use it so they have put the price up just to get money."

Stansted says the price hike is just one of a raft of measures to reduce the airport's impact on the environment and protect air quality.

Others include proposed high-speed electric car-charging points, electric coaches to London and encouraging passengers to use public transport or car share.